Aside from shared interest in the state of our brisk economy,
our military is a hot subject of overseas curiosity.
Over the years, the authorities have learnt that the most
effective antidote to suspicions and rumours is transparency.
There is a common faith that every individual in harm's way is
entitled to self-defence. But things look different when it comes
to a country's right to self-defence. This is particularly true in
China's case.
As the world gradually gets accustomed to, and looks forward to
benefiting from, the steady rise of our economy, there are plenty
of outsiders who would prefer that our growth be limited to the
economy only. Rumours about a bellicose China are fostering an
ill-informed fear, or suspicion at best, of the country's military
ambitions, though at home and abroad, this nation is advocating
harmony.
So it is important to make known our moves and intentions.
The six documents published so far, the latest of which was
released yesterday, show a clear trail of the Chinese military's
increasing aspirations and efforts for understanding through
information sharing.
The 2006 White Paper on National Defence, in particular,
features a conspicuous stride toward transparency.
Like all past ones, the 2006 paper is meant to present a general
picture of the current state of our military, from military
philosophy to budgetary specifics.
But this one is more conducive to true insight into our military
thanks to a more explicit statement of its strategic thinking as
well as mid-term goals.
There are delicate changes in wording. The 2004 white paper said
China would stick to a new security philosophy that emphasizes
mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and collaboration. The new
one is one step ahead, promising to promote "common security" with
other countries through partnership.
The most important message, however, is what it terms a
"three-step" development strategy to finally build a military
capable of winning information wars by the middle of the
century.
Making public such a phase-by-phase development plan will help
outsiders comprehend the current and next steps in the
transformation of the People's Liberation Army.
All the sceptics and critics of Chinese military updates need a
dose of background information not only about the defensive nature
of our military, but also about our security concerns.
It is equally important to note that part of the recent increase
in Chinese military spending is a necessary compensation for the
neglect our national defence sectors suffered throughout the 1980s.
We cannot afford to see our military capabilities lag further
behind as our economic locomotive keeps steaming ahead. After all,
we are among the very few countries whose territory remains
divided.
The paper, along with the PLA's active foreign exchanges in
2006, is bringing our military into a virtuous cycle where openness
and understanding promote each other.
(China Daily December 31, 2006)